Pond pips Mid-Devon duo to line

ANDREW Perkins and Pete Vincent, this season's leading riders for the Mid-Devon CC/Colin Lewis Cycles, had to give second-best to the impressive Blake Pond in the WAJ Best Memorial Trophy 25-mile Time Trial.

The Mid-Devon event was switched to the A377 course near Chulmleigh, where Pond (North Devon Wheelers) holds the record.

This time Pond retained the trophy with a fine ride of 52mins 35secs. He finished well clear of Perkins (54.06), who pipped Vincent for second place by four seconds.

Mid-Devon's Mark Sanders won the 'Standards' competition – his 58.12 was plus-10.16 up on standard.

Clubmate Ian Cullen won the Queen Elizabeth Cup, for the fastest rider who had never beaten one hour four minutes.

And Perkins, Vincent and Sanders wrapped up the team award for Mid-Devon.

Club stalwart Andy Hitchens was part of a winning four-man team which won the recent 12-Hour Brands Hatch Relay in Kent with a total distance of 255 miles.